Vacation Self

Big Fan #3

by Alexandra Romanoff

In the third book in the Big Fan series, love comes for Mischief band member Ramsey, a reformed rake.

This is Maggie’s first real vacation in years. She’s checking into a tucked-away Vermont enclave that lists its lack of TVs as an amenity, and for once, she isn’t going to compulsively respond to work emails or drive back early to take on a last-minute florist job. All she wants is time to herself.

But what she gets is a run-in with Ramsey, a notoriously hard-partying pop star who retreated to the woods as part of his recovery and is now spiraling about his own life in the aftermath of his best friend’s wedding. Are these two providing much-needed distraction to one another—or a disruption to each of their carefully mapped out plans for introspection?

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Adult

204 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 25, 2026

Reviews

[Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finishing this while getting my first pedicure of the summer… bliss

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the perfect addition to the Big Fan universe! I loved seeing more of Jake/Ramsey and getting to meet Maggie!!! Maggie is the sweetest character! I absolutely loved that she was an FMC in her 40s it was so refreshing to see such a sweet romance where the main characters weren’t in their 20s.

Jake and Maggie have the sweetest chemistry and it’s so believable and well done even though they meet on a short vacation. Their communication is so so good and they’re both just such lovable main characters.

Even though this is just a novella it does such an incredible job at tackling difficult topics such as sobriety and having an identity crisis in your 40s. Alexandra is truly gifted and I love this world that she’s created.

I highly recommend reading this whole Big Fan collection. It’s so incredibly well done and each installment does a wonderful job at holding its own in the series. I think Vacation Self would be so perfect to read on vacation and I can’t wait for all of you to get your hands on it!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and 831 Stories for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[char !! · Rating 4 out of 5]

edit: just saw this is up on netgalley god im about to be so insufferable until i get that arccccc



i'm seated. this book isn't even released until august 2026 but im simply too seated.

this is the big fan sequel we needed sorry square waves

[Amy Dickinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never want to leave this literary universe behind. The world of Big Fan is so brilliantly fun and smart and hot and I loved seeing another side of Jake/Ramsey and meeting Maggie. As always, the plot and chemistry and character growth is so well done even in a short novella, but I would also love to have a full length book to delve into these characters - I did NOT want it to be over.

Thanks to 831 Stories and Edelweiss for the ARC.

[Tiffany · Rating 3 out of 5]

thank you to alexandra romanoff, 831 stories and netgalley for this e-arc !

It was okay and was really cute sometimes. In this third installment, we follow another member of the fictional band mischief finding himself and finding love with an age appropriate woman (which I really appreciate, I really don’t like age gap romances).

I found it okay, not ground breaking but I had a good time reading it, I did read it in one seating.
The problem in this one for me it that we rely to much on the presence of other characters from past books (Charlie & Maya) and even though Big Fan is my favorite of this series, they don’t appear for the reasons we liked them for in this book and their presence was a bit forced in my opinion. And they appear so much, they kind of take the spotlight away from the main characters. We don’t really get to know Jake for who he is without Charlie and mischief being mentioned all the time. And okay I get that this is the point since he’s in recovery and mischief being the reason of his addiction and recovery it makes sense that it’s being mentioned so much, but I found that it was overkill.

Also the romance didn’t make much sense to me, I found that they didn’t really knew each other, their conversation weren’t deep enough to form a real connection ? I didn’t really connect with them in that way, and found the plot a washed up version of Big Fan (fundraiser and all).

I still had a good time though !

[Sara Fikse · Rating 4 out of 5]

literary equivalent to the “out of the woods” bridge minus the twenty stitches and the hospital room

[kerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and 831 Stories for this eARC in exchange for my honest opinions!

This is the third book in the “Big Fan” series and while not necessary to read the previous two, it’s recommended because they’re good!

Maggie is a NYC florist who is seriously burnt out with her mega rich and demanding clients. She decides a Vermont vacation is just what will cure her. While there she meets Jake Ramsey, former boyband member who is now sober and lives in the resort town.

Sparks fly almost immediately and these two are drawn together. I love how because maybe they’re both older but they don’t second guess their sudden attraction and give in to their desires. There is a third act break up but it feels warranted because they both needed time apart to really figure out what they wanted.

[kailin · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5★
i really love a romance where our characters realize they’re allowed to want more out of their lives and to watch them make changes that lead to the fuller life they’ve been dreaming of. i loved big fan, so i’m happy to be back in the world of mischief.

vacation self follows maggie as she spends a week on vacation (ofc) where her only plans are to do whatever she wants and avoid anything and everything related to her job. almost immediately, she runs into former mischief member, jake ramsey. as the week progresses, their paths continue to cross. their natural chemistry keeps building until their connection is undeniable. i really loved these two and hope for more from the men of mischief!

thank you to alexandra romanoff, 831 stories and netgalley for this e-arc 🖤

[Rita · Rating 4 out of 5]

The third book in the Big Fan series did not disappoint!
 
I devoured “Vacation Self” in one sitting. I loved how Maggie and Jake were these two whole characters. They were bold and unapologetic. Their connection and chemistry felt authentic within the short novel.
 
It must be noted that Vermont as definitely the third character in the novella, making me contemplate planning a trip up north this fall – filled with hikes and delicious sandwiches (and maybe reformed retired pop stars?).
 
Thank you to NetGalley and 831 Stories for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Lo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a delightful third installment in the Big Fan series, and it was definitely my favorite! I adored the upstate New York setting and connected to the FMC, while lusting after the MMC. Romanoff is descriptive in a way that makes the story come to life and easy to read. She writes these characters in a meaningful way, citing their struggles, trauma, and setbacks. This truly made the characters complicatingly human, and it was a joy to read. This was a thoughtful and intentional romance, which I love.

[˗ˏˋ saoudia! ˎˊ˗ · Rating 4 out of 5]

as always wth 831 stories novellas, i found this to be so sweet and adorable. i really enjoyed reading about 40 years olds and the fact that they still had some doubts that i currently have was really refreshing.

i really liked jake and maggie, i almost wish i had a full novel dedicated to them? i felt like some issues (maggies discomfort with her career, her issues with her clients) were a bit surface level, but it is probably because this is only like 200 pages!

i really love the big fan universe! tysm for the advance reading copy, it was a wonderful way to end my month of august!

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this! It’s the first I’ve read in the Big Fan series because I got an ARC from NetGalley (thanks to them and the publishers!) Definitely short so everything happens fast, but it was written really well. It was a nice change of pace to read about a couple in their 30s/40s vs youngsters all the time lol. I could have spent more time with this couple.

[Sammy B · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.9 stars

This was a cute, easy, palate-cleanser read. It was light and enjoyable, but ultimately didn’t leave much of an impression on me.

I liked the overall premise and the breezy feel of the story, but I struggled to connect with the couple. He came across a little childish at times for a 40 year old man, which felt off to me and made it harder to fully get invested in their relationship.

Overall, a quick and cute read when you’re looking for something light.

[samantha sprott · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy romance novella! A cute story of a vacation meet cute and realizing more can happen if you’re brave and take a leap of faith. Super quick and sweet read!

[Kendall · Rating 4 out of 5]

EEK by far my faves out of the 831 stories collection! alexandra romanoff, the woman you are! this trilogy is a cut above.
—
also HELLO ADAPTATION IN THE WORKS!
—
thanks to netgalley for the arc <3

[NRC · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alexandra Romanoff knows exactly what I want.

[mads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to receive a copy of this ARC via NetGalley and my goodness am I glad I did. This book is perfectly portioned and was a delight to read across two evenings. It dealt with age, and want, and sobriety with a gentleness that often takes authors 400 pages.

[Sabrina Lemus · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short and sweet. It was instalove and done well. Maggie and Jake met while on vacation and find themselves falling for each other during their trip.
This was refreshing to read, we get a romance for a 40 year old with an identity crisis and we need more books like this.

I would recommend to anyone who wants a fall vacation book and who enjoys spice in their romances. I will read the other books in this universe.

Thank you NetGalley and 831 Stories for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[QuirkyTofurkey · Rating 4 out of 5]

It seems impossible for me to rate an Alexandra Romanoff story less than four stars. While I felt a little less connected to these particular characters than I usually do in an 831 Stories book, I still squealed and kicked my feet through this whirlwind romance.

For perhaps the first time, I found myself wishing the story had been longer. The shift from physical attraction to emotional connection happened so quickly that it gave the romance a breathless, almost dizzying pace. I wanted just a little more time to live in those feelings as they grew. On more than one occasion, I wondered if this is what it feels like to have a manic episode.

But as with all 831 Stories books, this story is absolutely brimming with heart. That warmth, sincerity, and emotional tenderness keeps me coming back for more.

Also, in my heart of hearts, Mischief is a real band.

Thank you to NetGalley, 831 Stories, and Alexandra Romanoff for the advanced reader copy. This review is voluntary, and all opinions are my own.

[Reyna M · Rating 4 out of 5]

**4 stars** This was a surprise! Usually with shorter stories, I don’t have enough time to really connect with the characters but this one made a lasting impression.

We follow a fellow workaholic, Maggie, finally take that much needed vacation in a tucked-away enclave in Vermont. There, she meets Jake Ramsey who happens to be on his path of recovery as a popstar who recently spiraled over his best friend Charlie's wedding. The two provide each other a worthy distraction and slowly but surely, bond over what brought them to the enclave in the first place.

I absolutely loved this! The reason why I can’t rate this a 5-star read is because this is simply not long enough. Since this is quite a short story, there is not a whole lot of backstory with either characters but the snippets we are given, provided just enough to capture my full attention. This is my first introduction into Alexandra Romanoff’s writing and I can’t wait to read her other works. I really liked her writing style and I thought the romps were very well written. (Wish there were more hehe.)

What I loved most about our fmc is that she is refreshingly real and I’m sure many readers can relate with her. Reading about her journey was an absolute joy and I was rooting for this relationship the whole time. If, like me, you are in a reading slump during the peak of summer, give this one a try! It went by super quick and is very engaging. You will not be disappointed!

[Alli Mowrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ | 1.5 🌶️ A cute, sexy vacation romance novella that’s a great palette cleanser in between longer reads.

Tropes:
💘 Celebrity x normal person
🔥 Strangers to lovers
🏖️ Vacation fling
🎤 Former boy band member MMC
🍷 Sober/reformed bad-boy MMC

Review:
Maggie is burned out. After leaving her old career and turning her love of flowers into her own floral shop, the hobby she once loved has started to feel like just another job. So she escapes to the little Vermont town of St. John’s Cross for a much-needed vacation and some time to herself.

There, she meets Jake Ramsey, a former member of the boy band Mischief who has been sober for 12 years. Jake spends much of his life traveling and bouncing from place to place, never really settling anywhere. He feels caught between two versions of himself: Ramsey, the former celebrity everyone remembers, and Jake, the person he is now. And while Maggie is trying to figure out what she wants from the life she’s built, Jake is trying to figure out what comes next for him.

The two strike up a friendship that quickly turns into something more. There’s a vacation fling, insane chemistry, and plenty of reasons to believe this could be something more—but is this just a short-lived vacation romance, or could it follow them home?

This was my first book in the series, so I do wonder if my opinion would have been different if I had read the other books first. That said, overall, I thought this was a cute, solid romance.

It took me a while to get into the story. I’ve been in a bit of a reading slump lately, so some of that may have been me, but I felt like the first five or six chapters were pretty slow and not a whole lot was happening. I considered DNFing it, but I’m glad I stuck with it, though, because it definitely got better as it went along, and I enjoyed it much more toward the end.

Because this is a novella, I think you have to adjust your expectations a little. It’s not going to have the same emotional depth, impact, or intimacy that a full-length romance has the space to build. But within the constraints of a shorter story, I thought the author did a surprisingly good job developing both characters. You get a clear sense of who they are, what brought them to this point, and, most importantly, you actually get to see both of them have a character arc.

I especially liked that both Maggie and Jake had meaningful character arcs. They’re both at points in their lives where they’ve lost sight of what they actually want, and their time together gives them the opportunity to step back and reevaluate what comes next. By the end, I thought there was actually a lot more emotional depth and substance to their individual journeys than I expected going into a novella.

The spicy scenes were great. Their sexual chemistry was really strong, and I thought the author did a great job building the tension and anticipation leading up to those scenes.

Overall, a great novella that’s a great palate cleanser for when you’re in a book slump or just need something in between longer reads.

[Mackenzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vacation Self follows Maggie, a forty year old escaping the big city for a much needed vacation from her responsibilities. Maggie is facing massive burnout from owning her own business. She wants to find her passion again for being a florist and lose some of the dread that comes with the daily tasks and realities of running a business by yourself. Enter Jake who is vacation personified. As a former member of a massive pop band, Jake finds himself liking the remoteness of the small town in Vermont. When Jake and Maggie meet on her first night in town, they both feel sparks. Is this just a vacation fling or can they see themselves together in the real world.

I was so elated when I got the notification that I was approved for this arc. Alexandra Romanoff wrote one of my favorite books of the year, Square Waves, and I will now pick up everything she writes. Vacation Self is technically book number three in the Big Fan series but can absolutely be read as a standalone. Still, it was fun seeing Maya and Charlie in this book. I loved Charlie and Ramsey’s relationship here. I could tell that they had such an interesting and tight bond after being in each other’s lives for so many years.

I really loved both Maggie and Jake. They both felt like raw and realistic characters. Maggie’s burnout and her desire to start going after what she wants in life was very relatable. I loved seeing how just this one week of prioritizing herself and her wants had such a positive effect on her life. Jake’s sobriety and his desire to become more grounded felt very authentic, as well. I loved that we got both of their perspectives here. It was so easy to understand them and their connection to each other. I also loved that they are both characters in their forties finding love and figuring life out. We need more romances like this.

I would have liked this one to be longer. Maggie and Jake’s relationship could’ve felt even deeper and had more opportunity for growth with a longer book. This novella mostly takes place during a week, and I would’ve loved seeing them evolve with each other for a bit longer. I still had such a blast with Vacation Self. Jake and Maggie are a hot couple, and I loved following them. This would be a perfect book to pick up on your own vacation or anytime you wished you were on one. It is such a quick and engrossing read. Alexandra Romanoff knows how to get at the hearts of characters in a short amount of pages.

Thank you to NetGalley and 831 Stories for an advanced copy.

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you 831 Stories for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

https://jenninsf.wordpress.com/2026/0...

This is the 3rd and final (sniff!) installment from Alexandra Romanoff’s Big Fan series of novellas for 831 Stories. It’s such a delight to slip into this universe where people over 30 fall in love and make mistakes and try to live their lives like adults do.

Maggie is on a week-long vacation to a resort in Vermont to try to reset after burnout from her florist business. She runs into Jake Ramsey, formerly of Mischief, as this small town in one of his many haunts around the world, where he tries to feel normal after getting sober. There are sparks and a mutual recognition being 40 and NOT having your shit figured out, but she’s only there for a week, so where can it really go?

Maggie is newly 40, so I’ll forgive her for her frequent mentions of her age, her grays, her body’s “softness,” etc. As someone who’s halfway through that decade now, I promise, it stops being such a focus of your life all the time. And as her friend (and Jake) would remind her, getting older is a privilege not everyone gets. But I loved that she feels at a crossroads, now that she turned her passion project into a business and work is feeling like *work* again. Does she need to start over or can she remember to enjoy it? And Jake is sober, still famous, but not working on any new music, so he’s at a loose end. Lots of creative ways to fill the time like knitting, woodworking, and traveling, but there’s a lot of life still ahead of him – so what’s next?

I love that it felt organic how they kept running into each other and then made that more intentional. And the ticking clock just adds to the tension that this can’t possibly real or true or lasting because I mean, it’s been a week. But the best part is really that they both act like adults with responsibilities, so there’s no heady declarations, just a “let’s see where this goes.” It feels nice and right that they’re trying to move their vacation selves to the real world, but keeping expectations level as well.

I’m sad to leave this universe, but I feel good knowing that Charlie, Maya, Maggie, and Jake are gonna be okay.

[Aysia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A third really excellent book in the Big Fan interconnected universe. I really enjoy that the characters spotlighted in the series of interconnected standalones are not like the true "main" characters in the other books. A lot of the time, a series of standalones will follow a friend group, and that is not what is happening in the Big Fan universe at all. These are almost like throwaway characters that I didn't know I wanted to know more about until I got them, and now I am obsessed. I am also unsure whether the series will continue, but I found myself trying to figure out who the next one could be, which was so fun.

Vacation Self follows burnt-out florist Maggie, who meets old boyband star Jake Ramsey (Charlie from book 1's bandmate!) on a cabin break she is taking. Maggie left her job in corporate America to pursue her dream of working with flowers, only to find that turning a hobby into a day job doesn't make work less like work. Jake has been running from his life since Mischief broke up and he got sober. What starts as a vacation fling, a distraction from the real world closing in on them, quickly turns into both Maggie and Jake realizing that want and desire are something they have been missing deeply in their lives, and that it is clearly apparent between them.

I will say that this is my least favorite in the series, but I think it is because I had the least in common with these two characters, and they are significantly older than me. I really appreciate books where the characters are not children (aka 18, 19, 20, even 21). I know that women older than me also want to be represented in the books they read, so I am glad these 40-something characters are being highlighted in this book. I just do not relate to where they are in their lives, so I felt very on the outside, where I typically feel like I can get into the heads of the characters I read. All that said, it is still a 3.5/5 star (rounded up) read for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and 831 Stories for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Leighann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vacation Self is a perfect book to pick up if you want 2.5 hours of romance, spice, and pretending you are on vacation in Vermont without leaving your living room.
Maggie is kind of a workaholic, and she is forcing herself to go on a vacation to figure out what she wants out of life. All she has been thinking about lately are spreadsheets and flowers and the stressors of running a small business. Years ago, she swapped a lucrative career in finance for running her own florist business, but now she is questioning where her love for creativity and art disappeared to... Hopefully, a vacation to a luxurious resort in small-town Vermont called The Cabins will restore her joy for her job and maybe even help her find her “vacation self.”
What she doesn’t expect is to fall in lust and/or love with a guy from a boy band. When Maggie walks into the resort bar on her first night there, she locks eyes with Jake, who is holed up in Vermont to forget about his break-up and lack of direction in life. She finds out he is actually Ramsey, who was once a famous part of a boy band when he was a teenager…at first she dismisses him, but as she gets to know the real Jake, she finds she wants to know him more and more. There are cute hikes, soul-deep conversations, and yes, there is a hot tub scene. Until Maggie wonders if she is falling in love or if their vacation fling should day just that…
The novel is dual-POV with both Maggie and Jake’s perspectives. I think Jake’s character could have been a bit more well-developed, because we mostly knew about his hobbies, that he is hot, and that he is sober. I would like to see more of his quirks and personality. Overall, I feel like if you enjoyed American Fantasy by Emma Straub and you want more retired boy band/normal person romances, then read this one.
This is the third book in the Big Fan series by Alexandra Romaoff, but you don’t have to read the books in order. I am going to go back and start with Book 1, Big Fan, because Charlie and Maya’s romance sounds like a cute and meaningful love story.
Thank you to 831 Stories and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maggie left a life in finance to pursue her passion as a florist, but has found entrepreneurship to be less than fulfilling, so she ventures to a luxury cabin retreat for a reset. Jake Ramsey is a former boy-band member who frequently seeks solitude in the same idyllic Vermont town. A literal bump-in has them exploring their immediate wants and reconsidering what they want their lives to look like.

The romance sparks and catches quickly, and the vacation setting allows that intensity to feel believable. More importantly, the speed of their connection doesn’t go unacknowledged. There are also some surprisingly thoughtful conversations tucked into such a short book.

The intensity of their connection forces Maggie to reassess how her rigid approach to age-based milestones might actually be holding her back. As a 41-year-old woman, I can very much appreciate reaching a certain point in your life and thinking, “Have I failed because I don’t have X, Y, or Z?” At what point do you stop measuring your life against what you thought it was supposed to look like and start asking what actually makes you feel good?

On the other hand, Jake has to face the real motivations behind his nomadic lifestyle. He’s been sober for 12 years but hasn’t quite figured out how to reconcile this version of himself with the life he wants to live. Add in his complicated feelings about the privilege his fame has afforded him, and he’s not even sure what he really deserves.

831 Stories has really nailed the novella, which is what made me so happy to get an early read of this one. Their authors, particularly Romanoff, understand how much story they actually have room to tell. They don’t try to cram an entire beginning, middle, and end into a limited number of pages. Instead, they give us the realistic flourish of a budding romance and the hope that it lasts beyond the final page.

Thank you to NetGalley and 831 Stories for an earn in exchange for an honest review.

[ash · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ultimately, everything about this book left me wanting more. More from the characters, more tension, more development of the central relationship.

While I liked both Maggie and Jake, they both felt so surface level. And the relationship just wasn’t super believable to me. The book kept referencing this intense connection, banter, and chemistry between Maggie and Jake, but this was not apparent. I wish there was more showing and less telling, because there was so much potential in these characters and the setting.

Overall, the timeline was too short, the characters were too underdeveloped and generic, and it was disappointing that the ending was so similar to Big Fan with the fundraiser. I really enjoyed Big Fan and Square Waves and wished that Vacation Self had a little bit of that same magic.

I think that this book was simply too short for what it was trying to achieve. While I don’t expect a novella to be super developed and fleshed out, many are able to achieve this and Vacation Self left me wanting so much more. The writing was good and engaging enough, but needed either additional length or additional development, or both.

And this is just a note on the setup of 831 Books: I dislike that the prologues and epilogues are online only. Especially since they are essential to the story. It is frustrating to purchase a book and then have to seek out part of the story online. I like the concept of 831 books, but am getting increasingly frustrated with the rigidity of the book lengths and the fact that they are constantly trying to get traffic to their website through what is almost feeling like a bait and switch. I am an avid reader in large part to stay off the internet, so it is frustrating to have to visit a website to get closure (and sometimes context) on the story.

[Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to 831 stories and NetGalley for the ARC

Maggie is burnt out; she needs a break. She decides to take a Vermont getaway to attempt to find her spark again. Meeting former Mischief member Ramsey while checking in was not part of the plan.

I love Alexandra Romanoff's series, so I was so excited to read this, and it did not disappoint! I love all the Big Fan books.

I love this is about two 40+ year people who have been through some stuff and figured out some stuff. They are honest about their past and vocal about their needs. I'd even say the third act "parting" (I don't consider it a breakup, really), it's Maggie telling Jake what her expectations are for a relationship. It's not dramatic, and he hears her.

I love Jake; his sobriety lives with him, and he has to manage it through moments in the book. I thought the care around it was so lovely. I love that he likes Maggie because she is direct, and she makes a lot of the romantic moves. She's "full throttle", and he's into it :) I also love that his life changes were accelerated by Maggie, but she wasn't the origin. Changing your life after a vacation romance would be a lot; the book really establishes that Jake already knew he was dissatisfied at this stage in his life.

There are a couple of spicy scenes. I thought they were all well done. I kind of like that Maggie is really forward on that front, I think the age of our protagonists really shows in these scenes - in a good way! I have to say I laughed at the conclusion of the hot tub scene. It's great, I love spicy scenes that are also silly, showing your characters having fun!

Anyway, as I always say, I could have read a full book of these characters; I had so much fun <3

[Amy A · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maggie hasn't taken a proper vacation since she quit her job in finance to open up her own floral business five years ago. With burnout on the horizon, Maggie knows it's time to unplug, so she heads to the idyllic Vermont escape known as The Cabins. Maggie expects peace and remoteness, she doesn't expect to run into former boy band member Jake Ramsay.

Jake is fresh from the wedding of his best friend and bandmate Charlie. The whole thing has Jake questioning what he's doing with his own life. Meeting Maggie provides him with a distraction he thinks he wants. But when they're together it's clear to see that a distraction is not what either of them find with each other.

This was a perfect read to kind of clear my head and reset from another book I had just finished. A palate cleanser if you will. I don't mean that to sound like a bad thing either. I loved that this book was such a quick read. I had not read the previous two books in this 831 series, but I wasn't lost on understanding what was going on. It stood on its own very well.

I like that there wasn't really any wasted time. Everything that transpires between Jake and Maggie is quick, yes, but it fits in with the narrative of being on vacation. It's a finite amount of time, you live it up quickly before you have to go back to "normalcy". So the quickness in which they fell into each other worked.

But somewhere along the way, towards the ending, things began to drag on. I think this one went maybe a couple chapters too long for me. It got a bit too repetitive with each of them ruminating on what they want or, possibly, didn't want their lives to be.

Ultimately, however, it was a satisfying, quick read. Just what I was looking for in the moment.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

"In the long-awaited third book in the Big Fan series, love comes for Mischief band member Ramsey, a reformed rake, and Maggie, an overworked florist.
This is Maggie’s first real vacation in years. She’s checking into a tucked-away Vermont enclave, and for once, she isn’t compulsively responding to work emails or taking on a last-minute floral job. All she wants is time to herself.
But what she gets is a run-in with Jake Ramsey, a onetime hard-partying pop star in recovery who's spiraling about his own life in the aftermath of his best friend Charlie’s wedding.
Are Maggie and Jake providing each other with much-needed distraction from their real lives—or are they showing each other a way out of the woods?"

Jake and Maggie are perfectly matched, and their limited obstacles were appropriate. This book was so sweet and also sexy and just smart. I love adults being adult and owning their mistakes and shortcomings but not doing unrealistic things for the sake of drama.

I think it was the Big Fan Christmas Story that gave me a stink-eye feel for Jake/Ramsey and I strongly apologize. The Big Fan Universe is my favorite part of the 831 Stories Imprint. At this point, I would read anyone's stories in this world, even new faces like Jake and Maggie's friends Gemma and Angela. Alexandra Romanoff really understands this world in a way that reminds of tv shows like Gilmore Girls and Parks and Rec, where you think anyone walking by has a full interior life. I would even read the love story of Maggie's rich and remote client IYKYK.

Thank you to 831 Stories and NetGalley for the ARC!